Chapter 4
I love Penelope Anderson.
"Oh my gosh, Rebbie, I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed. "What does he look like? You have to show me his picture!"
Unlike Michelle, she was very enthusiastic when she heard about Jake. I hadn't told her the whole story before, but I needed someone more eager than Michelle. Don't get me wrong, I loved my bestie, but her lack of enthusiasm put me off sometimes.
I'd known Penelope for only six months, but she was like my long lost twin. We had this twin telepathy thing where we would say the same thing at the exact same time. We had the same choice in music, food, clothes, everything. It was very creepy at times. So, if there was another friend I had to share my opinion with, it would be Penelope Anderson.
She was an inch shorter than me – 5'4'', with waist-length, wavy black hair that I was jealous of, and bright green eyes. She was healthy but not fat, yet she was obsessed with losing weight, even though I told her I was a bit envious of her hour-glass figure. But she always laughed it off and never believed me.
"Oh, alright," I replied, chuckling. "I'll bring it on my cell phone and show it to you tomorrow."
She grinned. "Now we both have hubbies."
I rolled my eyes. "No we don't. Just crushes," I sighed.
Penelope, like me, used to be pretty apathetic towards love as well. Her friends used to call her a Cyborg. She'd never had a crush. That all changed when she met Rick.
At first, she hated Rick. She used to insult him and always ignored him. Rick, on the other hand, kind of liked Penelope. He lightly flirted with her, but Penelope never got it. She thought he was just teasing her, and so she hated him even more. She didn't even have a good reason to hate him, it just came naturally.
Then, Penelope failed tenth year and had to repeat it. That's when I met her, and that's when she realised she was missing Rick and actually had a crush on him. Her first crush. Funny how that happens.
Penelope sighed. "Well…soon-to-be-hubbies," she said optimistically.
"Now I know how you feel," I said. "I forgot what it was like to have a crush again."
"Sucks, right?"
"Totally."
"I wish I knew how he felt about me," we both said at the same time, and then burst into laughter.
"Twin telepathy!" we exclaimed together again.
"What's so funny?" a nasal voice asked.
I tried to hide my annoyance when a brown-haired, brown-eyed and bespectacled short girl appeared before us, looking at us curiously through her large glasses.
"What, what, what? Why don't you guys tell me anything?" she whined.
Penelope sighed irritably. I rolled my eyes. "It's nothing," we both said simultaneously, and grinned at each other.
Natasha jutted out her lower lip. "Where's Michelle?"
"Dunno," I replied as Penelope shrugged.
"I'll go find her," said Natasha and skipped off.
Natasha was one of those friends you regretted being friends with. Once you're a little nice to her, she clung onto you like glue and expected you to be her best friend, even though she didn't have any idea about friendship. She was very inconsiderate and immature, and expected you to listen to her and agree with whatever you said.
"Why are you friends with her?" Penelope asked me, narrowing her eyes at Natasha's retreating figure. "She's so selfish."
"Well, once you're friends with someone, you can't just say, 'hey, I don't like you, so let's not be friends anymore," I replied.
"Why not? I could."
"That's cause you're too straightforward…anyways, let's go to class, bell's about to ring."
We walked to our class and sat down at our usual corner. A few other students had arrived and lounged casually at their desks, chatting animatedly amongst themselves.
"So…are you going to meet him?" Penelope asked me, excitement in her voice.
"I…don't know…" I replied uncertainly, and looked out the window.
Penelope put her hands on my shoulders and steered me to look at her.
"Honey, from what you've told me about Jake, I think he's a great guy. Even if he doesn't become your boyfriend, he sounds like a great person to have as a friend. And I don't think you should let this opportunity go just like that," she advised.
I gaped at her. "That's good advice. Why don't you follow your own advice and do something about Rick?"
"Stop trying to change the subject, Rebbie….make up your mind about what you're going to do about Jake, 'kay?"
I nodded weakly. Make up my mind? I'm the most indecisive person on earth! And she expected me to make up my mind…yeah, right…
"No, scratch that, I'll make up your mind for you," Penelope declared, as if she'd read my thoughts. "You're going to go to his friend's house…with me."
I raised my eyebrow at her. "Really? You'll come with me?"
"Ch'yeah…no way am I letting you pass up this opportunity…and knowing you…you would let it slip and regret about it later."
I scowled and crossed my arms. "What do you mean by that?"
Penelope sighed and looked at me sadly. "Dear, you're sometimes too hard on yourself, you know that? The main reason you're hesitating to go is because you're afraid that he'll stop liking you after he sees you."
My jaw dropped open in shock. "What?" I exclaimed.
Penelope took a deep breath before explaining. "Why else do you think you're not liking this feeling of falling in love? Why else do you think you're so miserable?" she asked me.
"I…well…cause I know that he'll never like me the same way I like him …" I answered.
"And why do you think that?"
"Well…hey, what does this have to do with –"
"Just answer the question, Rebecca," Penelope interrupted bossily.
"It's…whatever…I get your point," I mumbled.
"Rebecca Smith, if you don't answer the question –"
"Oh, alright! It's because I don't think I'm worthy enough. I mean, he's Jake, this hot, talented dude, and I'm me, an idiot whom he probably thinks of as a little sister," I blurted out.
"Oh, you're most definitely an idiot," Penelope commented, rolling her eyes. "Jake didn't even say that he thinks of you as his sister. Besides, what about that 'Wonderwall' thing, eh?"
"Wonderwall doesn't necessarily mean a lover or anything. It means someone you care about a lot and to whom you can go to for consolation and help," I replied pessimistically. And yes, it did mean that. I checked "Urban Dictionary".
Well, there was another definition too, which fits my situation more: Some one who you find yourself thinking about all the time, the person who you are completely infatuated with. The one that you look for on your buddylist every time you sign online. The one who has a heart next to their name in your phone book. The person that you find yourself completely head over heels for.
But, puh-lease. Jake didn't mean it that way when he called me his wonderwall. No freaking way. He meant it this way: Someone that saves you from yourself. Like your superhero or saviour. When you feel like you're just stuck in a hole, it's your wonderwall that saves you. Note that a wonderwall doesn't always have to be a love interest. It could also be a friend, relative, or basically anybody.
Penelope groaned. "Why do you turn things around like this?"
"Because, it'll never happen. Why are you so optimistic about others and not yourself? The last time I checked, you were also saying something along the lines of, 'Why would Rick like me, I'm Penelope. I passed my chance…" I retorted.
Penelope smiled sadly. "Cause, it's true that's why. I did pass my chance. But you still have yours."
The teacher came in at that moment, and we couldn't talk further. I felt a bit bad about retorting like that, especially when Penelope didn't talk to me throughout the lesson. She didn't even look at me. Did I hurt her feelings?
Unexpectedly, she passed me a note.
Get his friend's address TODAY! Just three more days, you know. :P
I grinned at her and nodded. She smiled and flashed me a thumbs-up before giving her full attention to the teacher once more.
Did I mention that I loved her?
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When I told Michelle about the plan, she was a bit alarmed.
"WHAT?"
Okay, a bit would be an understatement.
I shushed her and steered her to a corner where there weren't many students. She narrowed her eyes at me and crossed her arms.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.
"Dude, why are you reacting like this? It's not like I'm going to go have sex with him…unlike someone else I know," I snapped.
She sighed. "Alright, alright. I know I'm over-reacting. No need to rub salt on my wounds," she grumbled. "It's just that…it doesn't seem like…you…"
I raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"I mean, you don't even go to parties that much, you prefer curling up under the covers and reading books instead of shopping or hanging out…and now, you're going to go meet up with this dude you've met online?" she explained. "It's not that I don't like this new outgoing side of yours…it's just that…it's a bit…"
"Shocking," I finished for her.
She nodded, looking at me apologetically. "Sorry if I was being a bitch, Rebs. I'm just worried about you."
I smiled and hugged her. "Hey, it's okay," I said, as I let go. "That's what all annoying best friends do."
She laughed and punched my shoulder lightly. "So…when are you going to show us his picture by the way?" she asked me, winking.
"Tomorrow," I answered. "By the way, can you come too?"
"To his friend's house? Um…I don't think so," replied Michelle, not making eye contact with me.
I glared at her. "You're going to the gorilla's house, aren't you?"
"No!" she exclaimed. "No way am I going to his house alone! He might rape me!" she said, putting her hand to her chest for dramatic effect.
"So? What's the reason?"
"I'm not going to go to his house, but we'll be going to the movies."
"Oh," was all I said, and grimaced. Why doesn't she break up with him? Ugh.
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Metal Freak: Yay! I'll finally be meeting the famous Dr. Smith's daughter after hearing so much about her! =P
Jake was happy when I told him I could make it. He gave me his friend's address and I wrote it down. The reason the band was meeting up there was because his friend was the band leader and the room the band practiced in was padded and specially made for them.
Rebbie: What did you hear about me? O_o
Metal Freak: Oh, a lil gossip here and there. ;)
Rebbie: Gossip? O_O
Metal Freak: Yeahhh.
Rebbie: What what what? :O
Metal Freak: Won't tell. ;)
Rebbie: Come on, Jakey, pweez?
Metal Freak: No can do, darlin'. My lips are sealed. ;)
Rebbie: hmph.
Metal Freak: Aww, is Rebbie mad?
Rebbie: NO. pfft.
Metal Freak: hahaha. It's fun to tease you. =P
Rebbie: Whatever.
Metal Freak: lol. I was joking hunny. =P
Rebbie: Really? O_o
Metal Freak: Yes dear.
Rebbie: Asshole. -_-
Metal Freak: You know you love me. =P
Yes...yes I knew that very well…